Brake for vehicles.



PATENTED SEPT. 8, "1908.

W. WOLFE. BRAKE FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1908.

W. WOLFE. BRAKE FOR VEHICLES.

'APPLIOATION IILEDAUG. 22, 1907.

z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ran a era ns WILLIAM WOLFE, or PATTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

BRAKE FOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 8, 1908.

Application filed August 22, 1901., Serial No. 389,644.

To all'whom it may concern:

Be it known that L-WILLIAM WOLFE, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Patton, inv the county ofCambria and State of' Pennsylvania, have invented new and usefulticularly,

'15 vision of'a simple and effective brake which may be applied quickly,and when used upon a motor-driven vehicle without first cutting out themotor.

Experience has shown that in the use of motor-driven vehicles occasionsarise where it is necessary in order to avoid accident that the vehiclebe stopped very quickly. The ordinary brake equipment of such vehiclesdoes not admit of this because it is essential first to cut out themotor and then apply the brake. Two operations are, therefore, necessarythe which may be fatal,- and again when the emergency arises the driverof the vehicle is very apt to become confused and throw on the brakebefore cutting out the motor, in which case the brake not only has toresist the momentum of the vehicle but the positive forward drivingaction of the motor, with the result that the vehicle cannot be stoppedas quickly or within the short dis tiince necessary to meet theemergency. A vehicle equipped with a brake according to my inventionavoids these difficulties as the driver has only to apply the brake,which maybe done instantaneously, without paying any attention whateverto the motor, thus saving time, and, since the motor may be disregarded,without confusion.

That which is regarded as new will be set forth in the claims followingthe description.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating that which I regard as thebest known embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a conventional viewof a motor driven vehicle partly in section equipped with the brake ofmy invention. Fig. 2 is a top lan view of the brake. Fig. 3 is asectiona View of the brake-shoe-carrying drop-frame. Fig. 4 1s aperformance of. which requires time of metallic tubing and are braced byner 9. Telescopically arranged in the tubuperspective view of the brakeshoe. Fig. 5 is 1 aperspective viewof the lock for holding the brakemechanism in normal osition.

In the said'drawing the re erence numeral 1 designates the body of amotor-driven vehicle, shown conventionally, 2 the front steering and3the rear driving wheels, and 4 the usual etc and 5 the mud-guards.Beneath the bed ofthe vehicle journaled in brackets 6 in advance of the"wheels to be braked is arranged a yoke-shaped drop frame comprising anaxle 7 and arms, rearwardly extending 8. The axle is shown as a se'arateelement-to which the arms are 'suita lys'ecured. The entire drop frameincluding the axle may obviousl however, be, blade in one piece.Preferab y and as shown the arms 8 are madc a span-- lar ends of thearms 8 are rods or pistons 10 the extremes of position of said rods orpistons bein limited by a stop, one suitable form of which is shown asconsisting of a pin 11 with which the rods are provided and which workin slots 12 in the tubular arms. On the free ends of said rods orpistons 10 are pivotally mounted brake-shoes 13 designed to be rojectedagainst the driving-wheels 3 and a so against the earth or other surfaceover which the vehicle may be moved, to serve as a drag chock-brake. Ifdesired, and preferably, this shoe is provided with a roughened surface14. dro -frame and preferably directly to the braiie-shoes are linkedlevers 15, 16' the levers 15 having yoke ends 15 between which the shoeis arranged and to which it is pivotally connected as by means of a pin17.' The levers 15,16 are shown as working between the body of thevehicle and the step 4, and the lower ends of levers 15 are flared awayfrom the .body of the vehicle as best shown in Fig. 2 to the end thatwhen the brake is not in action it will lieunder the step, 4 and be outof the way; The levers 16 are connected to a rock shaft 18'Fig. '2journaled in bearings 19 beneath the vehicle bottom and in advanceofthe. wheels to be braked and to this rock shaft is secured a handle 20passing through a slot-'21 in the vehicle bed or bottom w1thin reach ofthe operator. When a locking means of the. type s own in the drawings'isemployed the handle 20 may be short so as totake up very little room inthevehicle and a detachable hand grip 22 provided which may be slippedon to the Connected to the release it instantaneously when applicationof the brake is desired. This lock as shown is'secured to the bed orbottom of the vehicle within easy reach of the foot of the driver andconsists of stationary arm 23 rigidly connected to the vehicle bottom,and a movable keeper 24 pivotally connected thereto and normally, heldthere against by a coiled spring 25 or other suitable device. The keeperis cut away to form an opening 26 coincident with theopening 21 in thebed bottom and in which the handle 20 is disposed when the brake is off.The end wall of this recess constitutes a nose 27 against which thehandle 20 bears to support the drop-frame and the brake-shoes combinedtherewith normally in the elevated position shown in dotted lines inFig. 1 A footle'ver 28 is pro vided for withdrawing the nose of thekeeper from in front of the handle when it is desired to apply thebrake, and as shown this lever is pivoted to the fixed arm 23 and isprovided with a block 29 inter osed between said fixed arm and thepivoted keeper, the arrangement being'such that when the foot-lever isthrown forward the block will throw the keeper away from the fixed arm23 and release the handle, whereupon the drop-frame will descend bygravity aided if desired by a spring or equivalent 30 secured to therock shaft 18 and bearing against the bottom of the vehicle.

When the handle is operated to restore the brake to normal positionafter application it rides upon the cam-face 31 of the keeper 24 andpushes the latter aside until the nose 27 is passed whereupon said nosesnaps in front ofthe handle under the impulse of the spring 25 and thefoot-lever 28 is restored to normal position ready for further operationas before described.

In order to prevent the possibility of the traction of the drive wheelson the brake-shoe before the motor is cut out breaking or dismemberingsome portion of the brake-system, which would likely otherivise occur, Iprovide the brake-shoe with traveling wheelcontact surfaces, such asrollers 32 against which the wheel moves, and in order to prevent themotor-machinery racing, which would likely occu r if the drive-wheelsworked only against a moving surface such as the rollcrs,l provide thebrake-shoes with stationary wheel-contact friction surfaces 33 againstwhich wheels 'work with sufficient friction to put some load on themachinery and prevent racing thereof.

In operation when an emergency arises, the operatorlms merely to operatethe footlever 28 which releases the handle 20 and the dro frame descendsby gravity, assisted if desired by the spring 30,-unt1l the brakeshoesmeet the earth or other surface over which the vehicle is moving, asseen in dotted lines Fig. 1, and instantaneously, by traction, thepistons or rods 10, which are normally telescoped within the tubularendsv of the drop-frame as shown, assume the drag chock 'posltion shownin full lines in said figure and effectually stop the machine. Springs34 may be arranged in the tubular ends of the drop-frame to assist inthe projection of the rods 10 or to give them a start. This operationmay be accomplished without cutting out the driving-motor of the vehicleas the driving wheels rotate idl'y on the rollers 32 of the brake-shoesand the driver may at his leisure, after having applied the brake, cutthe motor out.

To release the brake, the handle 20 is manipulated, and through theconnecting medium such as the linked-levers, and by reason of therelative disposition of the pivotal point.

of the drop-frame and the lace of the application of'force tothe linkedlevers or equiva: lent connecting mechanism, that is to say, in advanceof the wheels to be braked, the

-brake-shoes are drawn forwardly out of con:

tact with the wheel, the rods or istons 10 being telescoped into thearms 8 of the dropframe against the tension of thesprings 34, when thelatter are used, and during the manipulation of the handle 20 the dropframe is also lifted up beneath the bottom of the vehicle into inactiveposition.

Having thus described my invention what i I claim'is:

1. A vehicle brake, comprising a dro .frame pivotally connected to thevehi'ce.

body in advance of the wheels to be braked and provided with armsextending toward the wheels to be braked, brake-shoe carrierstelescopically combined with the arms of said drop-frame, brake-shoessecured to said carriers in advance of thewheels to be braked, mechanismoperatively connected to the said brake-shoe carriers, and means foroperating said mechanism arranged to exert its influ once from a pointin advance of the wheels to be braked, whereby a manipulation of saidmeans operates to telescope said brake-shoe carriers, withdraw the brakeshoes forwardly from engagen'ient with the wheels and lift thedrop-frame, substantially as described. i

2. A vehicle brake, comprising a dropframe pivot-ally connected to thevehicle body in advance of the wheels to be braked the wheels to bebraked, brake-shoe carriers drop-frame, brake-shoes secured to saidcartelescopically combined with the arms of saidriers in advance'of thewheels to be braked,

lever mechanism operatively connected to described.

of said means operates to telescope said from engagement with the wheelsand lift the the said brake-shoe carriers, and'means for drop-frame, alook comprising a pivoted operating said mechanism arranged to exert itsinfluence from a point in advance of the Wheels .to be braked, whereby-amanipulation of said means operates to telescope said brake-shoecarriers, withdraw the brakeshoes forwardly-from engagement with theWheels and lift the drop-frame, substantially I bra e in inactiveposition, and a foot lever for withdrawing said keeper andpermittingautomatic application of the brake.

'5. A vehicle-brake, comprising a dropframe pivotally connected to thevehicle body in advance of thewheels to be braked, brake-shoes.telescopically. connected with said drop-frame and located in advanceof v the wheels to be braked,- and meansfor releasingthe'brake mechanismfor automatic application and means for withdrawing the same from theengagement with the wheels? .6. A vehicle-brake, comprising a dro framepivotally connected to the vehic e 3. A vehicle=hrake, comprising a.dropframe pivotally connected to the vehicle and provided with armsextending toward the wheels to be braked, brake-shoe carrierstelescopically combined with the arms of said drop-frame, brake-shoessecured to said carriers in advance of the wheels to be. braked,provided with traveling and stationary friction surfaces for engagingthe wheels to be braked, mechanism operatively connected to the saidbrake-shoe carriers, and means for operating said mechanism arranged toexert its influence from a point in advanceof the wheels to be braked,whereby a manipulation brake-shoes provided with a travelingwheelcontact, telescopically connected with said drop-frame, and locatedin advance of the wheels tobe braked, and means for releasing thebrake-mechanism for automatic applicafrom' engagement with the wheels.

7. A vehicle-brake, comprising a dropframepivotally connected to thevehicle body in advance of the wheels to be braked, brake-shoes providedwith a traveling wheelcontact and a stationary friction wheel-contact,telescopically connected with said dropbrake-shoe carriers, Withdraw thebrakeshoes forwardly from engagement with the wheels and lift thedrop-frame, substantially as described. I

4:. A vehicle-brake, comprising *a dropframe pivotallyconnected to thevehicle body in advance of the wheels to be braked and provided witharms extendingtoward the wheels to be braked, brake-shoe carrierstelescopically combined with the arms of said. drop-frame, brake-shoessecuredto said canriers in advance of the wheels to be braked, mechanismoperatively connectedto the'said to be braked, and means for releasingthe brake-mechanism for automatic application and means for withdrawingthe same from engagement with the .wheels.

' Intestimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand inpresence of twosubscribing witbrake-shoe carriers, means for operating said nesses.

mechanism arranged to exert its influence from a point in advance of thewheels to be WILLIAM WOLFE braked, whereby a manipulation of saidWitnesses: v

means-operates to tele's'cope said brake-shoe J. E. DALE,

' FRANK L. BROWN.

carriers, withdraw the brake-shoes forwardly kee er for engaging saidmeans to hold the body in advance of the wheels to be braked,

tion and means for withdrawing the same frame, and located in advance ofthe wheels

